Friends Forever
by LadyToFu
Summary: AU Hinata loved Naruto, but Naruto wanted to be friends, so she decides to move on... But fate, Naruto, and the rest of Konoha may have other plans! FINAL CHAPTER
1. Ch1

Friends Forever

By LadyTofu

Chapter 1

"You're such a great friend!" shouted Uzumaki Naruto, grinning broadly. "Let's be friends forever!"

Hinata stopped bandaging his scratched and bleeding arm to smile at him. For once, she looked up to meet Naruto's eyes without a trace of blush staining her cheeks. Softly she replied, "Yes Naruto-kun, let's be friends forever..."

And that's how it started. Hinata, seventeen, determined that very day (that very moment, in fact) that she would change herself. She would change her life. "Let's be friends forever," he'd said. Well, they would be friends forever then. She had known it from the beginning, she supposed. How could someone like her, small and ugly, compare to girls like Sakura and Ino? Those girls were like flowers, bright and cheerful and vibrant with life. She was nothing but a mushroom, small and pale and living in shadows.

Sighing, Hinata stretched her arms and legs, feeling the grass under her tickle at exposed skin. There had always been that lingering hope, she supposed, closing her eyes against the bright sunlight. A little ray of light that had kept her heart running toward Naruto and Naruto alone since she had met him during their Academy years. But, even Hinata had her limit. She couldn't take it anymore.

She just couldn't! The days spent in each others' company, talking and laughing, only to have him call her the next day to wax on about how beautiful Sakura had looked or how absolutely brilliant Sakura was.

No, that moment it had all dawned on her; what a big fool she had been. All those times that he had helped her, protected her, complimented her, and showered her with kindess... that hadn't been love, or even his interest. It had simply been Naruto being Naruto: helpful, compassionate, kind Naruto.

He was so easy to love. That was why it was so hard to stop. But, no, Hinata knew the truth now. She had to stop. She had to. She wasn't the same shy, silent, stuttering little girl she had been when she and Naruto first met. She was a woman now, and a jounin in her own right. Albeit, she would never achieve the levels that Naruto, Sasuke, and her cousin Neji worked at, but she was still a great kunoichi. She could be confident in her skills at least, Hinata thought to herself determinedly.

She was also the Hyuuga heir, something that she and her family had come to terms with over the years. Especially since her cousin had started to train her, Hinata had grown in her Byakugan. Even her father acknowledged her skill, a fact that had let her confidence flower into one worthy of a noble Konoha bloodline. If she would never have Neji's arrogance or Sasuke's chill disdain, she was still strong, like a steel bar wrapped in silk and fluff.

"Hinata-sama," came a muted tenor voice from somewhere above her head. She did not need to open her eyes to know it was Neji. Although many called her that epitaph now, only he said it with such brotherly affection. They had grown close over the years, as they had been once in a long forgotten childhood, thanks in particular to Naruto.

"Hinata-sama. I am going to go train by the river with Sasuke-kun in a little while. It could be very useful for you to join us."

Hinata opened her eyes and smiled her consent at Neji. She knew her cousin too well to take offense at the seemingly callous tone of his words. He meant well, inviting her to train with him and Sasuke, if nothing else. Although, lately, she got the distinct feeling that her cousin definitely had an 'else' planned.

Ah well, Hinata thought, feeling Neji's presence disappear into the distance. She supposed it was her own fault for suggesting that the Byakugan-master and the Sharingan-heir would be a good training team. Now her cousin was convinced that a Sharingan/Byakugan bloodline cross would be immensely useful to Konoha. In fact, Hinata was fairly certain that he would have tried conceiving such a child already had he been a girl. Or Sasuke had been a girl.

She laughed to herself at the thought of the great Anbu-captain Sasuke as a girl. He had never quite grown out of his handsome (if slightly feminine) features, a trait that still made most of the girls between the ages of 2 and 70 (and a good chunk of the boys) lust after him despite the fact that he was surly enough to kill them in a hundred different ways for it. Not that she could really blame the villagers. Sasuke had grown quite tall, topping his old sensei Kakashi by a good three inches, on par with Naruto in fact, and combined with the lithe, cut frame of a trained ninja, he was quite stunning even in plain jounin uniforms. In muscle-hugging Anbu-black, he was absolutely breathtaking. It was no wonder Sakura was still persistent in her Sasuke-obsession.

That girl would turn Neji into a feathered piñata if he ever found a way to impregnated Sasuke, Hinata mused. She felt laughter bubble out of her at the ridiculous mental picture of her somber cousin hanging upside-down with bright green and yellow feathers sticking out all over. Then, Ten-Ten would probably have the first go at breaking him open. Hinata's laugh got louder as her mental Neji's eyes grew wide with fear at the weapon-filled hands of his lover. Of course, it would never happen. Neji and Ten-Ten were quite taken with one another still, and Hinata quite envied them. She knew as well as everyone else in Leaf, that the two of them were a pairing that would last for as long as fate allowed.

Not like Sasuke and Neji. That pairing resembled two glaciers crashing more than anything in the realm of human companionship. Which was, probably, why Neji and Sasuke made great sparring partners. They constantly pushed each other to greater battle feats without the complication of any actual relationship. Then again, Hinata wondered sometimes. There were times when she could have sworn that the pair understood each other in ways no one else did. Not a friendship, of course. There was probably much to be friends with as far as Uchiha Sasuke went. Her cousin might have been impassively cold on the outside, but Hinata was sure that Sasuke was ice all the way through.

Naruto had constantly told her otherwise, but Naruto was given to generosity. That had been one of the reasons she had fallen in love with him, after all…that inability of his to make an outcast out of anyone.

Well, she had seen enough of Sasuke to know that he was the complete opposite. He made an outcast out of everyone, shooting down even simple kindness with cold contemptuous stares. Rejecting girl after girl after girl after boy after boy after girl without a hint of pity, because apparently no one was good enough for his royal highness.

Hinata did not like to think badly of people, but Sasuke had rubbed her the wrong way one too many times. He was not like Naruto at all. She wondered, not for the first time, how such polar opposites had survived as a team. Even now, after all the years and trials, Team 7 remained close. But, then, Naruto had an effect on people. Just his presence…

No, Hinata mentally shouted. Flipping onto her feet, Hinata shook her head to stop her train of thought as well as to get bits of grass out of her hair. She wore it long now, nearly touching her waist, and it always seemed to be collecting things when it was down. Well, that was easily enough mended. Grabbing locks of her soft black mane, Hinata swiftly braided them into three tails, then piled the tail onto her head in a complex weaving pattern. With lightning speed, she took out senbon needles from her wrist sheathe and carefully inserted used them to secure the mass in place. Her cousin and the Uchiha boy would probably start their practice soon, and she wasn't rude enough to refuse her cousin's invitation…even if it did involve Uchiha Sasuke.

Besides, she had spent enough time meditating. It was time to prove her different self, to act as she had promised herself to act: to focus on her training and her life. and to forget about Naruto.


	2. Ch2

Friends Forever

By LadyTofu

Chapter 2

Walking through the cool, dark forest Hinata could hear the sounds of fighting long before she could see the chakras of the two ninja fiercely battling on the riverbank. From the distance, Hinata could picture the two jounin matching taijutsu after genjutsu after ninjutsu, rivulets of sweat coursing down their faces.

They really do practice harder everyday, thought Hinata. If they slacked-off for one day, just one day, no one would notice. Just one day of half- practice wouldn't even make a big difference in their abilities (as fit as they were), but they still never let up. Every time they met, they pushed them selves just a little bit harder.

Hinata wondered if anyone thought that when they watched her. She pushed herself too, she knew, but not with the completely driven focus that characterized Neji and Sasuke. Perhaps, it was that relentless need to gain strength that was what truly separated her from those called genius. She practiced until she could meet her goal, but they pushed until they surpassed all goals.

Passing a last cluster of trees, Hinata caught her first glimpse of the actual match. Sasuke and Neji had both stripped off their jackets, weights, and other accouterments in favor of the simple black sleeveless-tops and fitted cargo pants almost all ranked Konoha ninja wore. The skin-tight shirts clung to their bodies, tracing every line of their muscular torsos. It was quite a sight for any girl, really, Hinata thought with a smile. Neji might have been her cousin and Sasuke an arrogant brat, but she was still girl enough to appreciate the beauty of their bodies. Smiling, Hinata walked toward them for a closer view, indulging in long looks at the way their stomach muscles rippled under semi-sheer fabrics even as she looked carefully at the way they were fighting.

It was always educational to watch ninja-sparring. One never knew what new techniques or surprises could be picked up, especially when the sparring was between two high-level nin like Neji and Sasuke. Hinata kept a careful eye out for the flow of charka in both jounin as well as the different types of movements they were using. Sasuke in particular was taking an interesting approach, accepting Neji's soft-fist punches to his arms then moving in for what appeared to be a simple upper-cut.

A sudden flurry of hand seals followed by the sound of a hundred birds screaming proved otherwise. Sasuke stopped his glowing hand right before it reached Neji's throat. Neji wisely kept his body perfectly still.

"Alright. You win this round, Uchiha," conceded the Byakugan master through his teeth. With a slight frown, he bowed respectfully to the other ninja for a match well fought before turning toward his younger cousin. "Hinata-sama, I'm glad you caught the edge of that fight. Did you by chance see how he managed to use the Chidori even after my soft-fist punch connected?"

Hinata considered his question, "He didn't use Chidori, at least not at full or even half power. You thought you hit his charka points because you did; only you didn't hit all of them. I think he rotated his arm at the last minute, so he could keep enough points open to perform that weaker version of his jutsu. That's why you went for the throat instead of the chest, right Sasuke-san? You knew that the jutsu wouldn't be strong enough to penetrate rib bones, but it could cut simple flesh easily enough."

Hinata looked measuringly at Sasuke, daring him to challenge her assessment of his jutsu's weakness.

Hinata almost started with surprise when Sasuke simply nodded in acknowledgement. She could hardly believe it. Uchiha Sasuke was never one she expected to take any exposure of weakness well, even when he had deliberately created that weakness as part of a tactical approach. To Hinata's further astonishment, the Uchiha-heir then stepped toward her with his arm outstretched, exposing the quickly bruising points where Neji's individual fingers had brushed him.

"Neji has used that particular technique on me enough that I figured out where he was hitting to counter my Chidori. I also realized that I only needed to avoid getting hit here, and right here, to make a very basic version of the jutsu. So I congratulate you on your abilities of observation Hyuuga-san, your assessment was absolutely excellent."

Hinata's silver eyes almost popped out of her head. Those were more words than she had ever, ever heard Sasuke speak. EVER. And that included to Naruto or Neji or well…anyone, much less to a girl (a gender, with the exception of Sakura, that Sasuke was known to avoid like plague). More than that, he had complimented her. As far as Hinata was given to understand, Uchiha Sasuke had never complimented anyone. He criticized, he criticized less, and he sometimes offered a grudging grunt of acknowledgement but he never, NEVER, gave a direct compliment.

"Hinata-sama," Neji asked, quickly placing a supportive hand on Hinata's shoulder as he noticed her odd expression, "Are you okay? Would you like to go lie down? Perhaps I should go fetch you some water?"

The truth was, Hinata did feel a little faint. It was all just such a big shock, but she was quickly brought back to herself by the amusement in Neji's voice. No good came when Neji was amused. Taking a good long stare at her cousin's too-innocent face, her suspicions only grew… he was up to something... very much up to something.

"N-Neji-niisan," Hinata said, trying to keep her voice firm. She rarely stuttered lately, but she was having a hard time keeping herself calm at the moment. "I'm fine. Really. Please, let's get on with the training."

"No, Hinata-sama, you don't look well," Neji replied, looking even more serious than usual. A little too serious, Hinata thought. She could feel sweat starting to form at the nape of her neck, Neji had (frankly) a very weird and slightly dangerous sense of humor. "I will go get you some water. I accidentally spilled the last of ours while sparring. Why don't you sit here while I go, I'm sure Uchiha-san will be willing to keep you company until I return."

"I-I..." Hinata started to protest, but was cut off by a quick smirk from her cousin. Don't even try it little girl, it said. Almost pleadingly, she looked toward Sasuke. He's about to protest anyway, she thought. I'm sure the thought of 'babysitting' me while waiting for Neji is absolutely repulsing him.

Catching Sasuke's gaze for a moment, Hinata was sure she saw his eyes grow a little dark before he looked away toward Neji. Her hope grew. He would protest. She was sure. He wanted to be left alone with her about as much as she wanted to be left alone with him.

"I would not mind staying if it will put your mind at ease, Neji. Unless, of course, Hyuuga-san objects to my company," Sasuke stated simply, shifting his gaze from Neji to Hinata.

Hinata felt like a bucket of very cold water had been dumped on her head.

Of course, I don't want to be left alone with a distant, cold, and very likely evil person like you, Hinata wanted to scream. Unfortunately, it just wasn't in her nature to yell anything like that, no matter how much she detested someone, so instead she found herself plastering a smile on her face as she watched her cousin shoot away into the forest.

So much for watching them spar, she though with a little sigh. Hinata stood for a moment in awkward silence before spinning about on her foot to plop down with light thud on the grassy riverbank. At least it will be a nice quiet wait, she thought, preparing to count away the minutes in her mind. She didn't mind being ignored.

She got to about four before Sasuke surprised her by plopping to the ground next to her.

"Ah, Hyuuga-san," he began with a cough.

Hinata just stared. Some part of her had resigned herself to just not think about how odd he was acting, but it didn't stop her from staring. Perhaps, she thought, he had had a particularly good mission or eaten something tasty or was on drugs. She wanted to add, 'or found the love of his life,' but Hinata really couldn't picture the cold Sasuke as ever falling in love. "Ahem, Hyuuga-san?"

Suddenly, Hinata realized she was being rude with her silence, "H-hai?"

Sasuke looked at her, and for a moment, Hinata could almost swear she saw him smile, that is if Uchiha Sasuke smiled…which he didn't. Smirked yes, smiled no. "To be honest, I wanted to be alone with you so I asked Neji to leave earlier."

THAT got Hinata's full attention. What could Uchiha Sasuke possibly want with me, she thought frantically. Pictures of weird Uchiha rituals involving bloody mayhem ran through her head, and (for some reason) mushrooms. "H-h-hai?"

"W-well, the thing is… I've liked a certain girl for some time now. . ." Sasuke replied breathily. Hinata could see that he was struggling to get out the words, and waited patiently. Sheer fear quickly followed by relief numbed her to the weirdness of an emoting Sasuke. It also gave her a certain clarity of thought.

He probably just wants to ask me what to get Sakura-san when he asks her out. There can't be too many girls he can talk to, after all, and he sees me often enough…

"I-I would be honored if you would please join me for dinner," managed Sasuke, breaking her thoughts.

Hinata stared at him in surprise, too taken aback to say anything. She had been about to wish Sasuke and Sakura well. Now…

Was it her imagination, or were the tips of his ears quickly turning scarlet? Uchiha Sasuke was... blushing? A blushing Sasuke? Surely, that wasn't possible. Sasuke got vengeful and angry and occasionally sulky, but never EMBARASSED.

Sasuke cleared his throat and stared at Hinata expectantly. She had the distinct feeling she had missed something, and began to review the last few minutes over in her head. Suddenly it hit her.

Uchiha Sasuke: THE Uchiha Sasuke had just asked HER out on a DATE.

"A-ah.." Hinata managed as she continued to stare at him dumbly. She just couldn't think of anything to say, but finally after a slightly painful silence she managed to blurt out a single word, "WHY?"

Hinata thought she saw a brief flash of hurt cross Sasuke's face before the familiar ice- cold expression fell over him. "I... Nevermind."

She wondered for a moment if she'd imagined it. The last thing she wanted to do was to hurt anyone, even if it was just a blow to the ego. She'd faced rejection often enough…

"No. S-Sasuke-k-kun," she stumbled, calling him the name she had called him in childhood. It seemed too informal now, too intimate, but she forced it out. She even tried her best to sound calm and cheerful. "T-that's... I-I didn't mean to say it like that. I'd like to have dinner with you very much. Why don't we go eat at The Shirahime tomorrow night?"

Sasuke looked startled, and for a moment the ice in his expression broke again, but it returned as he nodded in agreement. "I'll pick you up at eight then."

Hinata smiled and nodded.

She had a date, even if it was with someone she didn't particularly like: he was popular and good-looking. She should have been happy. So, why she wondered to herself, did something inside her want to cry?

Why hadn't it Naruto that had asked her out?


	3. Ch3

Friends Forever

By LadyTofu

Chapter 3

Hinata stared into the mirror and debated whether or not to try putting her hair up. Dressed in a gown of sparkling midnight blue, she thought she was at least presentable. The dress was new, after all, and elegant: strapless and tight to the gentle curves of her hips before falling to the floor in a loose waterfall of fabric. Finally deciding to just leave her hair down, Hinata pulled at her bangs so that the layered locks framed her triangular face. Why did she even bother, she mused as she took a final survey of her work. No matter what she looked…wrong. Not for the first time, Hinata wondered why the males in her family all looked so striking with the Hyuuga clan's incredibly fair skin, blue-black hair, and silver eyes while the females just looked ill or odd.

Still the scrawny stick too, she concluded with a sigh at the sight of her slender white arms. Hinata spun around and took a final survey of herself in the mirror before turning to leave the bathroom. She was on a date, and (no matter how much she would have liked to) she couldn't hide in the bathroom all night long. Besides which, she was heading to one of the best restaurants in Konoha, and she was determined to at least enjoy her dinner, if not her dining companion.

"Uchiha-san," said Hinata as she sat down at a small candle-lit table some time later. In the actual presence of the real Sasuke, she felt her determination wane, and unaccountably…shy. She had to admit, he looked striking in his tailored black pants and jacket. In fact, staring at him across the table, it was almost difficult to remember how arrogant, selfish and cold he really was. Hinata felt a butterfly of attraction flutter in her stomach, and abruptly forgot the mini-conversations she had planned the night before. Instead, she found herself blushing and looking down to stare at a rose- shaped candle floating in a little crystal globe filled with water sitting at the center of their table.

"Hinata-c-chan," Sasuke said after a moment of silence.

Hinata started briefly, and immediately returned to herself. It was probably the second time that she had heard him speak this evening, and to call her what HE had always called her. It made her wince inside, but reminded her of what love was. Uchiha Sasuke was handsome, but he was nothing more than that. "I-I hope you don't mind if I call you that..."

Of course she minded, Hinata wanted to say, that was what Naruto called her, and what only Naruto had continued to call her as they all grew older and more distant. But, Hinata didn't want to be unkind. Swallowing the small lump that had formed in her throat, she smiled at Sasuke as she replied, "Not at all S-Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke nodded in response. Hinata continued to smile at him, wondering if he had noticed how her voice had quavered. Probably. He was an elite Anbu-captain, and they were trained to notice everything. Not that he cares, she told herself with a bitterness that few would suspect from the kind kunoichi, that's why he's handsome and nothing more.

A moment later, Hinata saw Sasuke open his mouth as if to speak, but the young jounin closed it again without saying a word. Instead, he turned his head to stare at the fountain that bubbled to the side of their table. He was so unlike Naruto. HE would have been chattering about everything by now, she thought. It was never hard for Naruto to find words, and put people at ease. That was why she…

Suddenly, Hinata realized what her mind was doing, and mentally scolded herself. She had to get over Naruto. She was going to forget him! It wasn't Naruto she was on a date with but Uchiha Sasuke, and even if he wasn't the boy of her dreams, he was a boy. A boy that many girls would have given their right arms to be with. No, it was Uchiha Sasuke, THE Uchiha Sasuke…any girl in the village would have given an arm, a leg, AND their first-born child to simply talk to him.

Half-closing her eyes, Hinata appraised her companion through a veil of eyelashes and had to admit that she was attracted. He was simply one of the most perfect-looking men she had ever met. How could she not be attracted? She supposed that there might have been a little basis for his arrogance, after all. With a face like that, he could get away with almost anything.

"Ahem," With a jolt, Hinata registered that the two of them were no longer alone. The smell of meat soaked in different sauces informed her of who had arrived near their secluded little table. "Madamemoiselle, Monsieur, your dinner is served. Foie de veau et sauce balsamique au cidre for two."

Hinata looked at the dish before her, raising a questioning eyebrow at Sasuke.

"Cow liver in a Balsamic sauce. It's very good," Sasuke replied, picking up his fork. Hinata stared at her own dish for a moment, a smile flitting across her face. Sasuke knew his French food, a definite change from the last time she had been to a French restaurant with a young man. She had gone with Naruto, in celebration of his promotion to the Anbu. Not the Shirahime, but one almost as luxuriant. He had ordered cervelle de veau, and happily munched it down until the waiter had returned and told him that the chef was especially pleased with the latest shipment of calf's brains. It had taken the waiter, the chef, and Hinata a good hour to reassure the newly-appointed Anbu jounin that he would live.

"Hinata? If you don't want it, I can order you something else."

Hinata snapped out of her memories and looked up to realize that Sasuke wasn't eating. In fact, he hadn't taken a bite. For a moment, she couldn't imagine why he was letting his own food grow cold just because she wasn't eating. "N-no, I'm fine thank you, but why aren't you..."

"It is commonly considered courteous for the lady to take the first bite." Sasuke replied as he stared at a non-existent spot on the bleached white tablecloth, fork still in hand. Stiffly, he wrapped his free hand around his glass of wine and brought it to his lips for a long sip.

Hinata just stared, wide-eyed, and felt her jaw drop slowly.

Manners.

A ninja boy... her age... had manners. After years spent training with Kiba and keeping company with Naruto, it seemed almost... impossible… that a ninja boy could even know the concept of manners, much less practice them. A sudden image of Kiba asking Akamaru's advice on which fork to use with different dishes and what exactly he should do with a napkin flashed through her head, and Hinata felt a giggling laugh bubble out before she could stop it.

"..." Sasuke stopped staring at the tablecloth and transferred his gaze to Hinata, clearly puzzled and then a little worried as Hinata wiped at small tears that formed at the corners of her eyes. Glancing at his expression, she could see the faint hints of an embarrassed blush, which made it even harder for her stop laughing.

"Sasuke-kun, it's not you," she said as she finally managed to stop laughing, "It's just that I had the most hilarious image of Kiba asking Akamaru about table etiquette..."

Hinata began to explain and quickly found herself rattling on about Kiba and Akamaru, trying to explain why exactly the thought had been funny, and all the times she had watched Kiba get food stuck in his hair and nose and, bizarrely enough, his left ear. Her eyes stayed on the black-eyed face in front of her, a bit nervously, as she found her explanations not quite as funny as the image had been in her mind a few minutes before. She watched as a series of different expressions ghosted over Sasuke's face before it settled into a sort of half-smile.

Her voice died as she saw that expression. It wasn't even a real smile, yet for some reason she swore that it was the happiest expression she had ever seen on the Uchiha-heir. Ever. And she couldn't take her eyes off of it, but instead found her own lips curling upward in response.

"Hinata," Sasuke murmered into the silence, his voice low. Hinata felt his hand gently envelope hers, and Hinata felt her heart start to pound in her chest. This was wrong, she thought, and yet it felt so right. "I-I've wanted to tell you for a long time... I like you. I've liked you since, well, years ago. I want you to give us a try."

Sasuke curled his fingers, playing with her hand a bit, before lacing his fingers through her own. Every calloused fingertip seemed to burn into her soft skin. Hinata blushed and quickly turned her eyes downward, staring again at burning rose candle. She could feel his gaze on her and somehow, she could not bring herself to look up into his eyes. She didn't know what to say, but she sort of liked the feel of his hand on hers. She...

"HINATA!" a familiar voice suddenly cut through the restaurant.

Jerking her head up with a start, Hinata turned to see a familiar blond head and two very shocked blue eyes.


	4. Ch4

Friends Forever

By LadyTofu

Chapter 4

Naruto adjusted the loose orange jacket he had thrown on over his black Anbu clothing. Entering the austere elegance of the Shirahime's lounge, he realized that perhaps he should have dressed up a little more for this dinner date. Well, maybe it wasn't exactly a date, but it was dinner, at least. Grinning with a touch of chagrin, Naruto ran his hands through his wild blond hair, hoping to tame it down a little before Sakura arrived.

Months, weeks…no, even days ago, Naruto would have been thrilled to be having dinner with Sakura. His Sakura. The girl, no…woman, he had had a crush on since his grade school years.

But now… everything had changed.

Following a grim looking maitre'd to the dimly lit restaurant bar, Naruto plunked himself on a stool and let his mind wander. Apparently, this was the type of restaurant where seating only occurred if the entire party was there. Where was Sakura, anyway? He had been looking forward to continuing their conversations from last night. It had been a confusing few weeks, to say the least, and he needed her help. Ordering a Shirley Temple, Naruto stared at the glass the bartender quickly delivered.

The pink bubbles of fizz reminded him of Sakura, and yet his stomach remained calm. Before, any thought of Sakura would have sent it roiling in a tangle of emotion. Now… it was nothing like that. Sighing, Naruto stuck his fingers into the drink and fished around for the cherry that sat at the bottom of the glass.

It was unexplainable. He had loved Sakura for as long as he could remember, wanted only her, and saw only her. Yet, something had changed.

Two weeks earlier, the Old Lady had sent him out to find the Pervert-Sennin, like she ahd so many times before. And, he had agreed to go, cantankerous but willing, even though he had just finished a Class-A mission just days before. Everything had been as it had been for years. He trained a little, slept, ate, trained some more, and when Hinata had met him at the training grounds, they had sparred and he had said his goodbyes…just like always.

Only, it hadn't been the same. The look in her eyes as they had parted ways…it hadn't felt right. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but the whole episode burned in his mind. As he left her that day, she had looked back at him with those strange Hyuuga eyes of hers and something in her expression had struck him. It had felt like she was saying goodbye forever, and not just until the next time they met again.

And it hurt.

The thought of his life without Hinata, coming home to Konoha without her face to greet him: it had hurt. Moreover, he realized how different she was now from the little girl that he always pictured her as in his mind's eye. Naruto held onto his last memory of her sitting on that rock that day and smiling at him: her eyes distant and sad in her pale face, her long black hair curling slightly over one shoulder. It was an image that haunted him as he traveled to find Jiraiya, waking and dreaming. Hinata, the thought of her made something, somehow, inside him twist.

He loved her he had finally concluded as he headed back toward Konoha. At least, he thought it was love. He couldn't picture his life without her, or ever losing her. That was love, wasn't it? Sakura had thought so too when he had talked to her after his return debriefing last night. He had poured out everything he had felt or thought he felt toward Hinata into Sakura's sympathetic ear.

"You know Naruto, you sound like me talking about Sasuke," replied Sakura after a pregnant silence, "Like someone in love."

Yes, he had admitted. Perhaps he was really in love, but what was he supposed to do about it? Why would Hinata want him? He'd asked. He was nothing but a loud loser that still managed to get into more trouble than all the other ninjas in the village combined. Well, if you discounted Kakashi-sensei…

Sakura had laughed, "She likes you dobe. She's always liked you, you know, like I love Sasuke. That kind of love is destined to be recognized. You two belong together because love is like that."

Sakura had gone all starry-eyed, like she did sometimes whenever the topic of the Uchiha heir came up. Well, then again, he supposed his eyes had a tendency to get bit shiny too, here and there. Scrubbing at the goofy grin that spread across his face, Naruto picked up his drink, looking intently at the ice cubes for any trace remnants of soda. After a minute or so of contemplation, he just knocked all the ice into his mouth and started crunching. Slightly sugary ice cubes were good, even if Iruka-sensei said chewing them was bad-manners. Besides, Sakura was still not here, the table was still not ready, and he was hungry! If only he had listened to his instincts and eaten that instant ramen bowl before he had left the house.

"Na-ru-to!" Sakura giggled, appearing on the stool next to him with a little 'pop.' "Sorry I'm late. The scrolls on loan from Sand finally arrived! They have these amazing seal jutsus that are like nothing I've ever seen before. Why just the..."

"Ah no sa! Sakura-chaaan," Naruto interrupted with a slightly feral grin, "I'm hungry. Let's please please pleeease go sit and order and EAT."

Naruto watched as a little vein in Sakura's forehead seemed to pop out for a second. He knew she hated being interrupted, but he was hungry damn it!

"Right, Naruto, let me just go tell someone we're ready to be seated," Sakura gritted out through an overly toothy smile as she signaled a black and white clad waiter.

"Ah, are mademoiselle and monsieur ready to be seated," the waiter inquired as he approached Naruto and Sakura. Motioning for them to follow with his hand, the waiter turned and led them toward the dining area.

SLOWLY to the dining area.

Naruto couldn't help but think of all the different things he could do to the man to make him speed up. Perhaps a well placed clone-push or a kawarimi jutsu replacing the man's socks with something a lot more hot and painful.

Suddenly, Naurto heard Sakura gasp, and felt her tense beside him. Instantly brought to full awareness, Naruto followed her gaze to a table just behind a burbling fountain. The restaurant's chakra dampers were good enough that he hadn't noticed before, but there, unmistakably, sat Sasuke… and he was with a woman, on what Naruto could only guess was a date.

The bastard, raged Naruto quietly, gazing concernedly at Sakura. She had been babbling so much about him yesterday, Naruto had been sure something good had happened between the two.

"Sakura-chan, we can leave if you want," Naruto started, placing a soothing hand on her back "I know this great ramen place..."

Sakura just stood still for a moment, staring at Sasuke and his date through the cascading water of the fountain. Naruto gave her shoulder a squeeze, eyes filled with pity, and began to turn her away. It would probably be better to get her away, he thought.

That seemed too much for Sakura, who simply slumped down, nodding numbly to herself before easing out from beneath Naruto's hand. Naruto saw tears start to well in her eyes as she quickly turned to walk toward the exit without a word.

"S-Sakura. Why, ah, why don't you, ah, go ahead," Naruto suddenly found himself saying to her retreating back, "I-I just remembered I have to, ah, ask the, ah, waiter-guy from before something, and... ah, yea. He's already over there, so... ah, umm, I'll see you outside in a little bit."

He knew she heard him from the slight nod of her head as she left the restaurant quickly. He wasn't sure she would wait for him to comfort her, so he hoped that she at least went to Ino for a shoulder to cry on.

It just wasn't right, Naruto fumed. Sakura loved Sasuke. Sure, he had turned her down time and time again, ignored her time and time again, but he had done the same to all the other girls. Sakura loved Sasuke more than anyone loved anyone else! It just wasn't right for Sasuke to not only turn her down, but slap her in the face by turning to another girl. And if Sasuke was too stupid to see that, well, Naruto was going to show him otherwise.

Stupid, stubborn, stuck-up…Naruto's thoughts froze as he drew closer to the couple, and the long black hair, slim white arms, suddenly came together to become a girl all too familiar. The same figure that had haunted his thoughts for the last two weeks. Only now, instead of the strange but sadly piercing smile, her eyes were downcast and her face was glowing softly pink.

"HINATA!" he felt himself shout. The sound of his voice startled him, coming out in an almost ragged gasp. It must have startled Hinata too, a corner of his mind concluded, as he saw her jump slightly, turning so he caught the orange of his jacket reflected in her eyes. They were here, Sasuke and Hinata, two friends having a friendly dinner, Naruto began to tell himself.

Then, he saw it.

On the table illuminated by the yellow candlelight, he saw Hinata's hand wrapped in Sasuke's. Finger embracing finger, like lovers.

It was too much. Feeling himself grow flush, Naruto took a deep breath and fought the urge to scream and shout. Turning quickly, he all but ran out of the restaurant, ignoring the sound of clattering plates behind him.


	5. Ch5

Friends Forever

By LadyTofu

Chapter 5

"HINATA!"

Sasuke watched as Naruto darted out the door, nothing more than a streak of orange. He tightened his grip on Hinata's hand. Gently, he told himself as he saw her grow pale. He should have taken Hinata away the moment he had felt the dobe walk into the restaurant… the restaurant's chakra dampers were good, but not THAT good…

He just never thought...

A bare whimper reached the young jounin's ears. Turning his eyes back toward Hinata, Sasuke saw her lips grow whiter than the napkins. Quickly, he shot over the tabletop to support her before her rapidly crumpling form could hit anything. The restaurant could just buy some new cups later and charge his tab.

Damn the dobe! Why did he have to come back now? Uchiha Sasuke was no fool. He knew Hinata loved that obnoxiously loud idiot. How many times had he seen the way Hinata's eyes followed Naruto, a warm glow making them shine like burnished silver?

How many times had he dreamed of those eyes turned toward him?

Hmph. You always call Naruto an idiot, but this time it's you, Sasuke. He could not help berating himself silently as he deftly slid his arms underneath Hinata's slumped form. Gently lifting her off the chair, Sasuke paused to nod at a waiter before quietly leaving. The bill would go on the Uchiha tab. Most restaurants in Konoha kept one running.

Minutes later, Sasuke found himself perched atop Hinata's windowsill, picking the window lock to a supposedly secure and anciently powerful ninja house with one hand with Hinata, a warm weight against his body, cradled like a precious doll.

A sudden pop told Sasuke that it was safe to slide Hinata's window open.

Lilacs.

The smell wafted outside from Hinata's room, and Sasuke took a moment to breath it in deeply. The scent fit her: quiet and beautiful. Adjusting her prone form in his arms, Sasuke ducked through the window, taking extra care not to let the girl in his arms hit the window frame.

Somehow, he found his cheek against Hinata's silky black hair. The smell of her lilac perfume was stronger, and mixed with something else that Sasuke could not finger. I like it, he thought, as his heart twisted in his chest, and he stood grinning like a fool in the middle of her room, holding her.

For a single heartbeat... Kami-sama…he thought, closing his eyes to the world. Even for a single heartbeat, I want to stay this way, with her heart beating against my skin and mine against hers.

The sudden feeling of eyes hit him like a dose of cold water, and Sasuke's eyes snapped open by reflex. Somewhere out in the darkness, someone was watching him. Or her. Not maliciously, but still. . . Sasuke's eyes grew red as Sharingan took hold of him. He could not perform the seals for a full Sharingan with Hinata in his arms, he realized almost immediately, and if the eyes were watching him, it would be safer for him to leave quickly. With the grace of a cat hunting, Sasuke leap across the floor to the far side of the bed, carefully he tucked Hinata between sheets and blankets, gently placing her head on top of her soft pillows. Then, with all the speed of a genius ninja, Sasuke shot out the window, locking and securing it this time with a ninjutsu seal.

Malicious or not, it pays never to take unnecessary chances, he thought as he quickly activated his Sharingan. The darkness outside suddenly became alive. He could see the chakra of insects crawling, animals nesting in the trees, and even the trees themselves glowed with lines of the energy that all living things produced. No human though, he realized as he continued to scan the area. At least, there was no human near enough to be watching. Well, there was a couple behind some trees a few miles down, Sasuke thought with an ironic smile. But they seemed a bit too occupied to be staring at him.

Besides which, their chakra had not been familiar.

Admit it Sasuke, he lectured himself as he released the Sharingan, you're afraid it was Naruto. You're just itching to see that damn weird spiral line out there, and maybe get into a fight.

Sasuke could feel the muscles in his face settle into their normal broody expression as he leaned back onto a tree.

His old teammate. The idiot. The one Hinata loved.

Sasuke knew it. Hinata knew it. All of Konoha knew it, except Naruto. The baka had always been exceptionally dense when it came to the heart. Well, not that I'm too bright either, thought Sasuke with a grimace.

If I was the genius everyone thinks I am, then why can't I get Hinata to even look my way?

She had always been different from the others: not cloyingly sweet or insincere like most of the kunoichi that battled for his attentions. Instead, she was like a warm, calm breeze: the kind that gently tickles the senses and spirit. From the very first moment that he had met her, he had felt that way.

That day… If that day had never happened…

Sasuke sighed. He wondered how different his life would have been had he sought out Hinata sooner. He wondered what would have happened if he had developed the courage to talk to her, to even approach her. But, no. Becoming cold had been easier. He could just imagine himself covered with snow, and everything felt numb, not bad. Nothing hurt when he was numb. He could do anything he wanted when he was numb because nothing made a difference. He was above it all, frozen in his own world.

Hinata though, she was warm. In fact the warmth that Hinata had offered, the warmth that he had felt around her…after that day, it had threatened him too much. Threatened to break the numbness he needed to walk his path. No, it had been too hard to go to her, to even acknowledge her. Even now, he felt so nervous around her because she made him feel…almost as if he could go back to before that day.

She made the cold disappear.

Sighing again, Sasuke tilted his head up, facing the sky. What was he doing, standing alone sighing into the sky? He was acting like a bigger idiot than…

"…Naruto," grumbled Sasuke under his breath, his fist clenched tightly, "I will not lose to you. I will not lose Hinata to you."

"You will," said a voice suddenly at Sasuke's elbow, "You'll lose because I won't back down. That is my ninja way, and you know it."

Sasuke turned and glared into the blue eyes of the figure that materialized next to him. "Dobe. This isn't one of your stupid jokes. It's not a game. You will lose. I won't let you win with Hinata's heart on the line. She deserves better than a fool who loves someone else."

"And who says I love someone else?" retorted Naruto, eyes narrowing. "I love who I love and it's none of your damn business!"

Sasuke could feel heat creeping into his eyes, as his body cried for Sharingan. Firmly, he clamped down his feelings, this wasn't the time or place, no matter how much he itched to fight. Sasuke found himself grinding his reply through clenched teeth. "No, you will NOT win this battle."

"Oh yea! Why? Because you're the mighty Uchiha and I'm just the village outcast? She's mine Sasuke! Hinata's mine!"

"No," replied Sasuke, suddenly calm. "I'll never let you have her…you make her sad, Naruto. I'll make her happy. Unlike you, I have patience. Even if it takes a lifetime, I will wait for Hinata's heart to turn to me. Like water wears on rock, her heart WILL turn to me and I will win this battle."

"Water on rock? I don't know what you're talking about, but ano-sa, Sasuke...!"

The rest of Naruto's words were heard only by the trees as Sasuke turned, sprinting off into the darkness, eyes suddenly glowing the crimson of new blood. Hinata was at stake, but Naruto was still the boy that had believed in him when no one else would.

Beating him senseless would accomplish nothing…no matter how much Sasuke wanted to.


	6. Ch6

Friends Forever

By LadyTofu

Chapter 6

Hinata woke up to find herself tucked into her bed.

She wondered briefly how she had gotten there. The last she remembered, she had been dining with Sasuke at the Shirahime when…

Suddenly, she remembered. Hinata felt her heart beat at the pace of a hummingbird's wings, and like the hummingbird, she felt as if it would shoot out and race right into the blue- grey sky.

Naruto, she whispered to herself. He had arrived at the Shirahime and shouted her name. He had caught her, her hand clasped tight in Sasuke's, and he had looked so hurt. Hinata couldn't help but wonder why, when he had ignored her so often before. It had always been Sakura that he had longed for, hadn't it?

Yes, she told herself bitterly. It had always been Sakura.

Sighing, Hinata rolled quickly out of her bed, straightening her sheets to save her maid some work. It had always been Sakura for Naruto, and yet, even now, she couldn't help but feel… Hinata sighed again. She loved Naruto. No matter how much she told herself she was over him, she still loved him.

And I always will, she thought sadly. She could force herself to look away from Naruto while he was gone. She could tell herself she could forget about him and go to another, but confronted with Naruto himself, she knew the truth deep in her heart.

She didn't want to hurt Sasuke, but that was the truth and there was no way around it. She was attracted to Sasuke, and he certainly wasn't as repulsively arrogant as she had thought he was, but Hinata still didn't love him… and she could probably never learn to.

Not like she loved Naruto.

Hinata brushed at a stray lock of her hair, pulling at it in her agitation. Now came the hard part, she realized. She didn't want to hurt the jounin's feelings, but there was no choice. It was better than stringing him along, really…

Uchiha Sasuke was about to get dumped.

Well, she told herself, perhaps "dumped" was too harsh a word. They had only been out on one date, after all, and (really) she wasn't going to dump him so much as politely request that he begin to date one or all of the millions of girls that seemed to adore him above breathing.

Approaching the telephone on the top of her dresser, Hinata began to get a nasty feeling in the pit of her stomach. She had never really gotten over her fear of confrontation. More than that, the nasty little thought that she was about to hurt someone kept worming its way into her thoughts.

Then again, it was the plain, hard truth that Sasuke could have any girl he wanted.

That thought made Hinata feel a little bit better. The fact that he had asked her out at all had probably been some sort of weird fluke…or perhaps one of Neji-ni's odd notions in action.

That's right Hinata, she told herself. He asked you out on a whim. He probably doesn't really like you, so telling him that we won't work out won't hurt his feelings or anything. You can do this. Okay, you can do this.

Hinata grabbed the portable handset with one hand, rifling through her phonebook with the other. Finding the number she was looking for, she quickly punched it in. Nervously, she clutched the handset with both her hands so hard that she could feel them tingle.

The phone began to ring. It rang twice, before the third ring cut abruptly. Hinata heard the speaker take a deep breath before speaking, "Konoha Rite-Aid Delivery service, you ask for it, we got it. How can I help you?"

"Ah, yes. I'm calling from the Hyuuga compound, I'd like to schedule a delivery for a half-gallon of Chocolate Malt Crunch mixed with Medieval Madness, two packages of fun-size Twix chocolate bars, a bottle of Hershey's fudge topping, a bag of Tostido's corn chips and medium salsa, umm.., Oh! And a you-bake-it French Bread Pizza Wedges."

"Alright, ma'am, your total comes to 29.87. Would you like to pay cash or charge?"

"Cash."

"We'll be there in 1 hour or less, money back guaranteed. Have a nice day!"

Hinata hung up the phone, and contemplated her next move. Assured of sugary and greasy sustenance, she felt that she was now prepared for her next call. Taking a deep breath, she searched for and found the number for the Uchiha compound. Slowly, she hit the numbers.

The phone rang and rang and rang. Hinata was tempted to hang-up, but told herself to be strong. Finally, she heard an odd double ring and a click, followed by a mechanical voice. "You have reached '. . .' residence, they are currently unavailable. Please leave a message after the tone."

"Uchiha-san," Hinata began after a piercing beep. She felt a wave of relief wash over her at not having to talk to the real Sasuke. Throwing her shoulders back, she told herself to be strong. She could do this! "This is Hyuuga Hinata. I'm calling because I'd like to talk…"

A loud click interrupted her. "Hinata! I'm sorry, I've been screening my calls lately. Did you want to talk about something?"

Hinata sighed. Some part of her was glad, just not the gutless and quavering part. She hadn't wanted to break it off with Sasuke on an answering machine. This saved her from her alternate plan of having to meet him face to face too, she supposed. "Ah, Uchiha-san, neh, Sasuke-kun. I just wanted to say… that umm… thank you for last night, but… I don't think things will work between you and I."

There, she thought. She'd said it. She'd said it bluntly and unadorned. Now it was a question of what he would say or do. Hinata felt her stomach twist as silence greeted her from the other side of the telephone line. "Sasuke-kun?"

"Ah," finally came a reply. Hinata tried to decipher what the tone implied. Was it a sad 'Ah,' an angry 'Ah,' or an uncaring 'Ah?' She couldn't tell.

"I won't ask you why," Sasuke said after another moment of silence. "And since you're being blunt, I will be too. I know it's because of Naruto. I know you like him, but Hinata, I love you."

Hinata started. She had been expecting stone-faced silence, perhaps a sarcastic injunction, mostly just no reaction at all. This,.this she had not been expecting. "S-Sasuke-kun. I-I, don't know what to say. I didn't think… I've always loved Naruto, so I just…"

Once again, Sasuke cut into Hinata, breaking off her thoughts and her words. "I know you've always loved him, but you deserve better. Hinata, I won't let you go. I won't lose to Dead-Last."

This time it was Hinata's turn to sit quietly. She didn't know what to say. If she could pick all the conversations she had ever imagined having with Sasuke (and, truth be told, she had really never even thought about talking with him) this would have been the furthest possibility from her mind. His words seemed to wash through her head, missing her brain completely as everything just felt numb.

Fortunately, Sasuke didn't allow her time to sit silently for too long. "Hinata? Listen. I don't expect a reply from you right now. Someday, perhaps. You will choose me when that someday comes, I promise you that."

The certainty in his voice brought Hinata back to reality. The certainty that he knew exactly what he was doing, and the surety that he was the better man. It rubbed her the wrong way. Hinata, gritted her teeth, this was more like it. She knew Sasuke was cocky and proud, and he was showing his true colors at last. "Don't be too sure of anything Uchiha-san."

"I don't want to control you, Hyuuga-san," Sasuke instantly replied, mimicking her formal tone, "But I will do everything in my power to make you consider me. I will do everything in my power to win you."

"I'm not a prize," shot back Hinata acidily.

"No," murmured Sasuke, "You're not. You're much more."

Hinata stared at her feet as silence descended between them once again. She didn't like where this conversation was going at all. She wanted out and she wanted out fast, before she did something she might regret, Hinata thought with a blush. When had Sasuke become so persistent and…emotional? "I-I've got to go. There's a delivery I'm waiting for."

"I understand." Sasuke replied after a few breaths.

Hinata grimaced. She truly doubted he really understood. Scrubbing at her face with one hand, she said a quiet goodbye before hanging up the phone with the other. This wasn't the way the conversation was supposed to have gone at all, she wailed to herself. Closing her eyes, Hinata composed herself. She let the 'Hyuuga-mask' (as she liked to call it) fall over her features. No matter how much inner-turmoil she was in, there was no point in broadcasting it to the rest of the family. Sighing one last time, Hinata stretched her arms and headed out of her room. The ice-cream wasn't here yet, but the kitchen had to have something gooey and sweet.

Hours later, stuffed with pizza, chips, ice-cream, chocolate, and various other foodstuffs she'd managed to scrounge and/or order, Hinata strolled back into the sanctuary of her bedroom. Letting out a most unladylike burp, she threw herself face-down into the welcoming pile of blankets on her bed. Sure, she had mostly skipped her morning training today, but she had a good excuse! At least, that's what she would have thought had she been less responsible. As it was, Hinata squirmed a bit on top of her soft covers before bouncing back up onto her feet. She would schedule a double sparring session with her cousin, if he wasn't busy, for later that evening. That would make up for some of the training she missed this morning.

Smiling slightly at a possible opportunity to vent some of her frustrations, Hinata began to walk toward her telephone when something red caught her eye. Attention focused, Hinata stared out the window, seeing through glass and wood. There on her window's outer ledge sat a single rose, a bit of parchment tied with ribbon to its long, slender stem. Byukagen eyes glowing silver, Hinata could make out the writing on the paper without taking a single step. "I love you," it said in neat writing, fluttering slightly in the breeze.


	7. Ch7

Friends Forever

By LadyTofu

Chapter 7

"I-I've got to go. There's a delivery I'm waiting for," Hinata's voice rang clearly through the telephone.

She doesn't want to talk to me or see me she means, thought Sasuke as she finished. He let the silence deepen as he debated what to say. Why? He wanted to ask her, but knew that that was not right either. "I understand."

He did not hang up the phone. Sasuke held the receiver in his hand, listening as Hinata's soft breath cut off with a click, as the click turned into silence, and the silence was replaced by jarring beeps. Ten, twelve, thirteen, fourteen beeps. Finally, Sasuke palmed the phone off and placed the receiver back on its charging stand.

"What do I do now?" he asked into the empty house. The Uchiha house. Sasuke sighed as he looked around at the empty space that had once been filled by the sounds of his mother, his father, and his brother. Those were days long past. None of them would be returning.

Involuntarily, his right hand went up to massage the seal on his neck. It still felt like it was there, as dark as the day it had been placed on him, despite the passing of the years. That seal had been his curse, but also his salvation. Sighing, he decided that training would probably be a good idea for now, or perhaps he would ask Hokage to send him out on a mission. He was supposed to be taking some time off, but he was not one to enjoy idleness. Especially now.

Naruto. . .he thought. He never would have gone for Hinata if he had thought Naruto was interested. Truly interested. Even after he had challenged that dobe, Naruto hadn't backed down.

Sasuke sighed. He owed the obnoxiously loud ninja much too much. It was a fact that neither ever mentioned, but Sasuke was not one for forgetting debts. The two of them were friends to the last. Sasuke would be loyal to Naruto, always. He was the future Hokage, after all, Sasuke thought with a smirk.

But what was Naruto doing? Sasuke felt his mind roil as his heart and mind fought with one another over what to do. Naruto couldn't really like Hinata! He had had years to take her if he had wanted her. Hinata had always loved him. Sasuke had even played along and left her alone, choosing to ignore her in favor of harder and harder training, longer and longer missions despite his own feelings for the quietly pretty girl.

He had waited. He had waited until he was sure Naruto was not interested, and then, he had finally asked her out.

Only, Naruto had come back and everything had gone wrong. Sasuke, rubbed at his neck again. No, damn it! This was not his fault. He had respected Naruto. He had acted well. It was Naruto that had turned around and tried to steal what was Sasuke's. He would NOT lose Hinata to him!

And, yet, he owed the man so much…

Sasuke bit back another sigh and checked his weaponry in customary silence. Then, without a backward glance, he warded the house and left for the Uchiha training grounds. It had been a while since he had done intense shuriken practice. Perhaps if he could find Kakashi-sensei, he could even get in some Sharingan…

"Yo!" said a familiar voice behind Sasuke's ear. Sasuke twitched. He had never gotten over the way Kakashi could sneak up on him, no matter how good at stealth and chakra sighting he got.

"Yo," replied Sasuke without enthusiasm. He was actually glad to see the silver haired jounin, but he wasn't going to let on. Besides, if he didn't say anything, Kakashi would be less prone to go easy on him.

Silence ensued. Sasuke stood now, taller than his former teacher, but similar in many respects, almost like light and dark versions of a single painting. They were a well-matched pair, Kakashi and Sasuke, right down to a deadly aura that seemed to surround them. However, no one would have mistaken one for the other, even without silver hair or masks. Sasuke stood with all the attention of a born soldier, every muscle tense with anticipation. Kakashi didn't stand so much as lounge: head tilted back, his uncovered eye closed, one hand scratching occasionally at his covered chin.

"I don't go easy on you anyway, you know," drawled out Kakashi eventually. Opening his eye, he gave his younger companion an amused smile. "You've gotten too good."

"What?" replied Sasuke, startled. How had Kakashi known?

"I can see it in your face, Sasuke," stated the older ninja flatly. "Just like how I can see that you're upset about something."

"Ah," Sasuke grunted. He really didn't know how to reply. Well, Kakashi and Naruto were always the two that could read him best, but the way the older jounin was pinpointing him today was a little unnerving.

Silently, Sasuke turned his back and adjusted a wrist cuff when he felt a slight rush of wind and chakra behind him. Spinning himself into the air, Sasuke barely managed to avoid an onslaught of shuriken.

"Never turn your back on an enemy," Kakashi admonished with a grin as his former pupil landed with the light grace of a hunting cat.

"Ah," replied Sasuke, a bit miffed that he had let his problems cloud his senses. Well, he would not be caught unawares again. Staring at Kakashi with narrowed eyes, Sasuke concentrated on the older ninja's chest. Arms and legs were deceiving, but the chest often gave away where the opponent would move next.

A twitch of the right pectoral. He's probably going to move to the right, predicted Sasuke. Probably.

Dodge left and risk Kakashi's underneath the underneath thinking, dodge upward and risk that his move would encompass him anyway, or… in the space of seconds Sasuke's mind went through the numerous possibilities. With Naruto, the attack was usually a straight forward or a simple fake-out. With Kakashi, the possibilities boggled the mind. He was a devious one, that ninja.

Right, decided Sasuke just as Kakashi began his move. With the blinding speed that he had perfected over the years, the heir of the Uchiha clan jumped to the right, only to alter his step mid-jump into a twisting kick toward his former sensei's head. Or at least, where his sensei's head should have been.

"You really are distracted today," frowned Kakashi, standing slightly behind Sasuke. Sasuke's neck tingled as he felt the tip of a kunai graze his skin. "Enough."

Sasuke's normally brooding expression deepened as Kakashi re-sheathed the kunai. The last time Kakashi had called a halt to their sparring like this had been sometime in his chuunin years.

"You know, sometimes time heals what nothing else can," Kakashi said, breaking into Sasuke's thoughts. "Let him come to terms with what he needs to first. The problem might sort itself out, and then you can pursue her or not without anger or competition clouding your mind."

With that the older jounin left his former student. Sasuke stared after Kakashi with a slight frown. How much did the man know, he found himself asking into the air. It was definitely eerie the way that Kakashi still kept tabs on him. Someday, he would find out how the still famed Sharingan Kakashi dug up the information that he did. If it was a technique he could master…

Shaking his head, Sasuke decided that perhaps he was just too distracted today. He couldn't seem to keep his mind concentrated on any one thing. Sighing, the young ninja decided to head toward the village and get some food. Food, some reading, and an early bed followed by early morning training. Perhaps, that would calm his spirit enough for him to get things done, he mused as he walked.

Or, perhaps a sparring session with Neji.

The older jounin could be surprisingly insightful when it came to girls…


	8. Ch8

Friends Forever

By LadyTofu

Chapter 8

It had been an odd morning. Naruto scratched his head and leaned back against the slightly curving trunk of his favorite tree. He had called Kiba, hoping that a talk with Hinata's former teammate could help him figure out what sorts of things she liked. Thinking through everything that had happened though, Naruto wondered what he should do next…

Earlier that morning…

"You really ARE an idiot, aren't you?"

Naruto tossed a kunai at Kiba's head. "Ano-sa, ano-sa! You're the one in love with GAARA and you're calling ME an idiot!"

Kiba jumped and twisted into the air, dodging the kunai and throwing two of his own toward Naruto. "Shut-up!"

Naruto snickered, catching the sharp knives easily. Kiba's face had taken on a new shade of pink oddly complementing the deep red stripes running down his cheeks. It was no secret that the dog-jounin had had a crush on the young Kazekage since a shared kiss back in Kiba's chuunin days. It was even less of a secret that the Kazekage was deeply in denial. In fact, the last time that anyone had mentioned Kiba to Gaara… well…

The Sand village didn't really need all those mountains anyway…

"At least, I'm not blind, deaf, dumb, and the source of all misery for certain nice girls," shouted Kiba, balling his fists to defend against Naruto's inevitable strike of vengeance.

Naruto grimaced. He was just glad that Kiba had asked Akamaru to stay at home. This "discussion" was quickly getting more violent than he had intended. He was just glad that they were in the forest and not the village.

"Naruto RENDAN!" Naruto shouted as he launched into the familiar taijustu combination. He growled as Kiba lazily stepped inside of his final kick, avoiding the hit entirely before striking back with a perfect punch to his jaw.

"Baka! Will you settle down already? I came out here because you said you needed help!"

"Fine. ARGH!" Naruto shook his head. The last punch had been well-aimed but light. Well, light for Kiba… Normally, the dog-jounin couldn't even come close to Naruto's speed or technique, but he was just too distracted right now. "But what are you suggesting? I let SASUKE have her!"

Naruto watched as Kiba plopped down on a tree stump in deep thought. He couldn't help but notice (for the hundredth time) that the guy just didn't move like a ninja. Even he, Naruto, had developed a certain deadly grace, but Kiba… watching him was like watching someone trying to tiptoe in heavy boots or, worse, eating ramen with one of those shallow Western spoons.

"Well, Hinata's like a little sister to me," Kiba mused, interrupting Naruto's thoughts. "And, while I can't say I like that Sasuke-guy much…to be honest… I like you less."

Naruto blinked. He and Kiba had always been friends, or so he had thought. "WHAT?"

It was Kiba's turn to snicker as he watched Naruto's jaw sag down, blue eyes widening. "I don't mean I don't like you as a person, baka. But, I don't know that I like you for my 'little sister.' I mean, the kid's liked you for so long and you've completely ignored her, then she's suddenly dating Mr. Ice-for-blood-but-I'm-so-damn-hot-Sasuke, who just happens to be your rival since we were all genin, and you're wondering how to get with her! It just doesn't seem right."

Naruto blinked some more.

"Besides, what happened to your eternal love for your 'Saakuuuraaa-chaaaan'?"

"Ah…Hinata likes me?"

"LIKED you, baka! And don't you dare put her through that hell again!"

"Hinata likes me?"

"LIKED! PAST TENSE."

…And so the rest of the conversation had gone. Naruto winced. Hinata had liked him. How could he have been so blind? Well, Sakura had told him. Several times, actually, but he had always assumed she was just being nice. Hinata had just always been a friend.

Naruto sighed. He of all people knew how hard a one-sided love was. It was small wonder that Kiba had been against Naruto pursuing Hinata any longer. If Hinata had moved on, than perhaps… it was for the best to let her move on…

No! Naruto mentally shouted at himself. This was HINATA that he was talking about. Hinata and SASUKE. If she got together with him, it could be the end for their friendship too. Sasuke wasn't the type to let her just hang out with Naruto unattended, which meant no more late night training sessions, the end to the yummy foods she would always make for him, and all the quiet moments they had spent together… How could he let her out of his life?

But, Hinata had liked him, and if she had liked him, than she could still like him. If HE won her, if he could keep her, than she'd be his and not Sasuke's. He wouldn't have to let her go…

Naruto smiled. Yes, he thought, that could be the best path. All his life he had worked to protect others, to help others achieve their goals and be the best that they could be. This once, he could do something completely for himself. This once, he would protect his heart and not other people's. Besides which, Hinata had liked him… Maybe she still likes me, he reasoned, and Sasuke…Well, why did Sasuke deserve her more than him? Didn't Sasuke have every other girl in the village after him? Even Sakura was in love with him!

Sakura… Naruto frowned. Perhaps he should have consulted her to begin with. SHE, of all people, would be for finding a way for Naruto to win Hinata's love.

"YO!"

Naruto jumped in surprise just as a heavy body thudded onto the branch beside him. Not very many people could sneak up on him, which meant…

"Finally trying to use that empty head, eh Naruto?"

Naruto glared at the white haired ninja grinning ferally at him. He must have finished with whatever the old witch wanted, thought Naruto. She hadn't told him why she had wanted him in the village. Jiraiya seldom stayed in Konoha these days, and was notoriously hard to find for everyone except his former student.

"Now, now. It's no use glaring at me like that. Youngsters these days." Jiraiya shook his head. "What have I taught you?"

"Ano-sa! Are you here just to bug me, cuz I can tell you right now, I'm not in the mood!" Naruto tensed his fist in emphasis. He knew that Jiraiya would notice the subtle movement. If there was one thing he knew about his former sensei, it was that he noticed EVERYTHING, far above even Kakashi.

"Ah. The Female Troubles…" Sighed Jiraiya, winking at Naruto. "Well, perhaps I WON'T tell you, then, that I just saw Hinata training in the grove by the river, alone."

Jiraiya shot off into the woods before Naruto could respond. "BAKA PERVERT!" He shouted into the wind. He knew Jiraiya would hear, wherever he had gone into hiding, but Naruto knew better than to try and catch the legendary sage. He did make a mental note to pound information out of him the next time they met. Not that the information that he had imparted was unwelcome.

Naruto was a jounin, and a good jounin, and a good jounin knew how to make use of opportunities. If Hinata was alone, than it was an opportunity to talk with her. Naruto swallowed past a nervous ball that began to form in his throat. It was the chance to tell her his feelings, and a chance to try and win her from Sasuke.

…or at least to decide what he was going to do.


	9. Ch9

Author's Note:

Yes, I'm baaaaaack.

What can I say? I'm a sucker for reviews, and it was touching that people actually wanted me to keep writing this story even though I ranted and quit so long ago. Anyway, the main reason I was against continuing this fic was because I was very disappointed with myself in terms of quality. However, I've gone back and done a bit of editing and have reworked the story here and there, so am now quite happy to be working on this now. I forgot how fun SasuHina/NaruHina fluffiness was! Anyway, this micro-chapter is a bit of a filler before the next round of fluffy-packed-fluffiness… so enjoy!

Friends Forever

By LadyTofu

Chapter 9

Sakura sat alone on an old wooden bench outside of Tsunade's office and wondered what exactly she had done wrong. She had loved Sasuke for so long, and she had been so sure that he had felt something for her too, deep down.

Very, very deep down.

Admittedly, he was rough and cold, and almost mean most of the time, but that was only because he was kind and gentle and full of love on the inside. Everyone knew that!

Wiping at the tears that ran down her cheeks to dribble of her chin and nose, Sakura realized that she probably looked like shit. She knew she was supposed to be keeping up an image, particularly seeing as how she was the Hokage's assistant and the youngest researcher of the Konoha Medical-Nin Institute. But, somehow, she just couldn't bring herself to care, even if Tsunade did yell at her later.

What was wrong with her? Inner Sakura wailed, and for once Outer Sakura agreed whole-heartedly. She should have been the one on Sasuke's arm. She deserved to be the one! She was smart, one of the smartest nin of her generation and one of the best medical nin EVER. She was beautiful too. She'd been asked out by Kankuro, Lee, Naruto, Lee, old man Ebisu, Lee, AND Temari in the last year alone!

"Sakura-san?"

Sakura looked up to see who had called her name, and found herself looking into a pair of very round eyes.

"Lee-san!" She managed to say. Hastily, she used her sleeve to mop up her face. Pasting on a smile, she hoped that Lee was just dense enough not to notice that she had been crying. "What are you doing here?"

"Ah," replied Lee, staring at her a little suspiciously. As his youth had promised, he had grown into a second-Gai. In fact, there would have been no telling the two apart, except that Lee had grown rather fond of purple over the intervening years, and tended to wear that instead of green lately. "Have you been crying, Sakura-san?"

Suppressing a sigh, Sakura supposed that not even Lee could be dense enough to overlook her red, puffy eyes. Now she would have to put up with the young jounin's over-bearing cheerfulness until he was convinced she felt better. Sniffing loudly to clear her nose, Sakura sifted through her brain for a possible way to throw him off.

"No, no! I just have a cold, Lee-san, a very bad cold," she said after a sudden flash of inspiration, "I think I caught it from someone a few days ago."

Lee looked at her dubiously, and Sakura found herself looking at the ground, afraid to breath. She didn't know what she would do if he didn't buy. She didn't think she could survive the day with Lee over her shoulder on top of everything else.

"Ah. I see. Yes, we should all be careful against colds! Yosh! In fact, you have inspired me! I will run 100 laps around the village to keep myself healthy from colds!"

Sakura smiled into her hand. "Just don't over do it Lee-san. You're still recovering from your last mission."

"It's kind of you to worry Sakura-san, but…" Sakura looked up to see Lee fumbling with his fingers and blushing. She wondered what was going on, but Lee didn't keep her in the dark for long, "well, you don't need to anymore. Anko-san offered to do all my recovery training with me and, well, she worries for me now, and well with us dating and all, I don't like to see her unhappy so…"

The pink-haired kunoichi stared at Lee in dumb shock. She felt like someone had hit her head with very large kunai. She sat, half-listening to Lee ramble on about Anko, and felt… well…

Let's see…Naruto was going googly-eyed for Hinata.

…and LEE was going out with ANKO…

A more-than-slightly homicidal, very-much-insane, and rather plain-looking jounin that didn't even particularly LIKE boys had a boyfriend, an apparently devoted boyfriend, and she, Sakura, was still single. Not only single, but rejected completely by the one boy she had loved for almost her entire life.

Sasuke, HER Sasuke, was going out with some girl after all the time Sakura had poured into him, and she sincerely doubted that this other girl could be half as devoted as she was…

Suddenly, Sakura no longer felt like crying. Instead, she began to feel an intense desire to punch things build up inside her. An intense to desire to punch things, HARD. Very, very hard.

Starting with that girl. At the very least, Sakura deserved to know who the little upstart was so she could beat the crap out of her.

Silently, Sakura stood and walked away, leaving a very puzzled Lee to explain to Tsunade some minutes later that he really had no idea where exactly her assistant had gone.


	10. Ch10

Friends Forever

By LadyTofu

Chapter 10

1,264... 1,265... 1,266...

The ants marched slowly around the forest floor, scavenging dead leaves to take home to their nest. Hinata counted them at first, but then settled for simply watching them through her Byakugan, widening her field of vision until she caught sight of a seething mountain of tiny chakra points that indicated the ants' miniature city.

It was somehow soothing to follow the creatures around as they struggled mindlessly through their tasks. Hinata had hated bugs as a child, but she had grown rather fond of them over the years. There was something about the creatures, short-lived but ancient, that really made her appreciate her life, no matter how much drama there was currently raging in it. Her problems just seemed so small compared with the sheer number of lives in that little ant hill. She supposed her hyper-bug-awareness was one of the side-effects of having trained with Shino for so long. It certainly wasn't a bad thing. Tracking bugs in a forest was excellent practice.

Smiling, Hinata fed more chakra into her Byakugan and expanded her field of vision yet again. She still couldn't achieve the range that Neji or Hanabi could, but she was more completely aware of everything within her range than either of her relatives. A quirk of ego, TenTen had once said.

TenTen...

She would have to ask the older girl for some advice on Sasuke, and for that matter about Neji. Hinata had the nagging sensation that her cousin had been trying to set her up with the Uchiha-heir, and she was going to have to find a way to get him to stop. Now that she thought about it carefully, all that talk of the possible usefulness of a Sharingan/Byakugan cross blood limit did seem awfully like Neji's way of encouraging romance.

Yes, I really do have to talk to TenTen. If Neji-ni is really trying to set me up, she's the only one with the chance to talk him out of it. Well, I guess my father could order him to stop, but I doubt he'd take an interest.

Hinata sighed. She'd been doing that a lot lately, she realized as she did it. But, hey, her life was complicated at the moment. She should at least be allowed to sigh all she wanted. Standing up slowly, she reached up towards the sky and stretching her arms and legs.

I bet even Naruto would sigh if Uchiha Sasuke declared his love, she mused.

Hinata froze. Naruto.

As if her thoughts had called him, Hinata sensed the chakra of the yellow-haired jounin approaching with a speed that few in the village could match. She wondered briefly if he was heading toward her or simply passing by.

She wasn't left long to wonder.

"Hinata-chaaan!"

Even knowing that he was nearby ahead of time, Hinata felt her stomach drop as she saw him stop in front of her and call her name. No, she had to remind herself, I'm getting over him! But, it was so hard. She couldn't help but remember the last time the two of them had been near one another. The shock and hurt that had been in his eyes, and the feel of Sasuke's hand holding hers.

Hinata felt her cheeks flame as a sense of confusion washed over her.

"N-Naruto-kun," she managed to say in a barely audible whisper.

Naruto grinned sheepishly at her, in a friendly way, but Hinata stooped her head to avoid his eyes anyway. "I-I've been meaning to say h-hello," he managed, ducking his head too. He ran a hand through his hair in a nervous gesture. "Yea... umm... so... yea."

Hinata looked up at the sound of his voice, uncharacteristically muted, to see a hint of blush creeping up his cheeks. She smiled a little. It was nice to see that she wasn't the only one embarrassed and perplexed. The thought was enough to break her out of the fog that had suddenly seemed to surround her mind. As she came to herself, with a little surprise, she noticed that Naruto was dressed all in black today. He rarely wore anything but orange except when he was going out on S-class or special ANBU missions.

"N-Naruto-kun, are you going out again?" Hinata blurted out before she could stop herself.

"No," Naruto blinked in surprise and looked up abruptly before looking down again, but this time at his pants. He looked as surprised as she had been to note that they were black. "Oh, yeah, haven't had time for much laundry. HaHa. Ma ne. I, uh, guess I've been busy."

Hinata looked up and gave him a sympathetic smile. She of all people knew how busy his days could get. In the last two years, the Hokage had been sending him out with increasing frequency, often as far as the mountain tribes of the north country, and as her delegate on diplomatic missions to the other hidden villages. Rumor was that she wanted to step down within the next decade, and was grooming Naruto to take the reigns as soon as possible.

"Well, I'm glad you're not going out again."

An awkward moment passed as the two of them stood in front of one another. Hinata regretted that their friendship seemed to be suffering because of her desire to move on. She supposed he was finding it equally awkward to be around her. After all, he had seen her on a date with one of his best friends—one who, if all rumors could be believed, he liked a great deal indeed.

Hinata felt herself starting to blush all over again. No, she told herself, stop being silly. You know he and Sasuke are just friends, no matter how much some of the village women imagined them to be more. Particularly Kurena...

"I," said Naruto, breaking her out of her thoughts, " Look, Hinata. Things have gotten, well, weird between us, neh?"

Master of the obvious, Hinata wanted to shout. "Yes, about that..."

"I'll be blunt," said Naruto, running right over Hinata's words. He had grown up a lot since his loud and obnoxious days, but some habits (like impatience) died hard. "I saw you on a date with that Sasuke-bastard. I saw you, and I didn't like it, because I like you Hinata-chan. I like you, and I think I like you a lot."

Speechless, Hinata felt herself sink down onto the ground.


	11. Ch11

"Oh, Naruto!"

"Hinata!"

The two of them gazed into each other's eyes before kissing passionately.

"Oh, Naruto!" Hinata exclaimed lustily as she broke momentarily free from his heated embrace.

...At least, that's what was supposed to have happened, Naruto thought bitterly. He rubbed his hand over the large bruise that was Hinata's answer in real life. Staring into the calm waters of a forest pond, Naruto could see that it was quickly turning his cheek into a magnificent shade of purple-blue.

For a quiet, gentle girl, Hinata sure could throw a mean punch.

Naruto paused to pick out a few bits of leaf that had managed to tangle themselves in his hair and clothes. ANBU black looked good in almost any condition with anything, but forest greenery wasn't his favorite accessory.

He wondered where it had all gone wrong. He had been so sure that he and Hinata... He liked her, and he had just wanted to tell her. He had wanted her to like him too. Only, Hinata had shouted that he was being selfish. She had called him a jerk.

She had HIT him!

Naruto rubbed at his bruised cheek again. Girls were so confusing.

"Why? Why are girls so damn confusing?" Naruto shouted to no one in particular.

Heavy footsteps behind him made Naruto tense. With blinding speed, Naruto unsheathed kunai and spun to meet whoever had dared to disturb him.

"There's no need to stab me just because you're having a bad day. It takes a lot of effort to bleed, you know."

Shikamaru. Naruto sighed, quickly returning his kunai to their secret sheaths. If it had been anybody else, Naruto was just angry enough to have gone through with an attack. He would have at least gotten a good sparring match to work out some of his frustration. But, Shikamaru was too damn lazy to spar. He always gave up within the first three seconds, saying that Naruto would win anyway so actual fighting was pointless.

"Ano-sa, you can't just sneak-up on people."

"Ah," Shikamaru grunted, walking toward a particularly soft-looking patch of grass and sitting down. "To sneak-up on a jounin of your rank would require a lot of chakra and excellent technique. I was being quite obvious."

"Baka! I didn't mean that literally."

Shikamaru turned a baleful look on Naruto before leaning back and laying down. "Huh. Like talking to a cow's ear..."

Naruto tried to stare an explanation out of Shikamaru, but Shikamaru ignored him in favor of closing his eyes and smiling. Naruto fumed. He got the feeling that it was some obscure literary reference, but Naruto hadn't read anything since Icha Icha Paradise Volume 12.

"Like you know anything," Naruto concluded after an extended silence, "You're the guy who refuses to become a jounin. The Old Lady told me you turned down another commission."

"Being a jounin's more work than it's worth, and you can accept that for now or not, but my answer's not going to change."

Naruto grimaced. Some things never changed indeed. "Yeah? Your last mission was a bust. You got your subordinates killed. It happens. So, you're just going to hide in the Academy forever?"

Shikamaru cracked open an eye and glared at the blond ninja staring down at him. "Don't. You've gotten a lot better over the years, but you're not that good and you're not Hokage yet."

Naruto dropped down onto the ground next to Shikamaru with all the grace of a falling bag of potatoes. "But, I will be. And when I am, you're going to be a jounin, Shikamaru. Teaching is all fine, but you're not a teacher."

"..." Shikamaru opened both eyes and stared up at the sky. "Girls aren't confusing."

Naruto started for a moment, eyes wide, as his mind took in the full implications of what Shikamaru said. Could Shikamaru really explain the inner workings of a girl? He was smart, sure, but was he that smart? He WAS rumored to be quite popular with the girls. The Old Lady's assistant chick had had her eye on Shikamaru too, now that he thought about it.

"Ano-sa, you better be able to back that up."

Shikamaru smirked, "Just don't ask anything too bothersome."

"Well, what if...see...there was a girl my friend liked. And she used to like me, I mean, my friend, but then she went out on a date with another boy, and then he told her I liked her, I mean, he liked her. Only she hit him and ran away."

Shikamaru sighed. "Naruto, don't mess around with Hinata on one of your sudden impulses. She really liked you, for a long time, and she's a nice kid. You really..."

"What?" Naruto sat upright, shocked. "What? How?"

Shikamaru sighed again, this time with exasperation. "Don't interrupt me. It's bothersome. It's obvious you're talking about you and Hinata and Sasuke. You live in a ninja village. Ninjas are the worst gossips in the world. The betting pool is at 30-40, by the way, in favor of Sasuke."

"WHAT?"

"Look, Naruto, as a friend... I'm telling you, think about this, and I mean really think. Are you really in love with Hinata? I mean, are you really? You get excited very easily, and you get swept up in competing with Sasuke... are you sure it's not either of those?"

"WHO'S BETTING!"

Shikamaru sat-up and rubbed his head. Naruto was quickly getting noisy, and that could get very tiring. "Look, Naruto, I'm heading back to the village. You sit and think, and make sure you're really in love. No matter what, Hinata's been a good friend to you too, and you shouldn't hurt her."

Naruto nodded as he watched Shikamaru stand-up and stretch. "Just one thing, Shikamaru, do you honestly think I would do anything to hurt Hinata?"

"..."

Naruto shifted uneasily as Shikamaru looked down at him.

"You never do things to intentionally hurt people. That's not who you are. That's why I'm telling you to think carefully. Are you really in love with Hinata, or are you just afraid to lose her? Because, that isn't love either, and in the end it won't be enough."

Naruto blinked. Shikamaru sounded as if... "Ano-sa, by any chance, when you and Ino and Cho..."

Shikamaru sharply cleared his throat. "I've got to go. Just think about it."

Naruto nodded his agreement.

"...and you said I wasn't a teacher," Shikamaru muttered just before disappearing.


	12. Ch12

Friends Forever

By Lady Tofu

Chapter 12

"I saw you on a date with that Sasuke-bastard. I saw you, and I didn't like it, because I like you Hinata-chan. I like you, and I think I like you a lot."

Hinata scrubbed at her face, trying to banish the words that had haunted her for nearly a week. Ever since the morning Naruto had caught her training outside the village bounds and confessed his feelings, she had avoided him like plague, but no matter what she did, Hinata couldn't escape the memory of his words. They rang again and again in her ears, along with the shocked hurt in his eyes as she leapt up to hit him.

She hadn't meant to punch Naruto, she thought with a grimace. But she had waited to hear those words for so long... She had waited, and he had finally said them, only he had made it sound like just another declaration, just another vow to beat Sasuke... Yet another little stitch in his ever-growing nindo tapestry. And it had made her so mad. She might not have been smart like Sakura, or beautiful like Ino, or even fierce like Ten-Ten, but she still deserved to hear the words she had longed for...those words she had dreamed of... as more than an answer to a childhood rivalry.

A wave of anger had clouded her senses as the sheer shock of his words died away. For, perhaps the first time, Hinata knew what it meant to see red. Her fist had connected with Naruto's cheek before she could stop herself.

"I think I like you a lot."

And I was finally going to move on, Hinata wailed mentally and wanted to wail out-loud. He hadn't even been able to decide if he really liked her or not! Only, she couldn't hate him for it because of the way her heart had fluttered. The way a corner of her mind had whispered that her true love would be realized at last...

Now, Hinata wasn't sure who she was more upset with: Naruto or herself.

Hinata shook her head and dove beneath the warm water of the Hyuuga family's private onsen. The water was hot, almost burning, as it touched her face and ears. She needed to clear her head, she knew, before anyone started poking around.

There were already enough rumors going around about her lately. Apparently, her date with Sasuke was one of Konoha's worst kept secrets, and the Hyuuga's in particular were snooping for more gossip. Half of her family was already mapping out space in the Uchiha compound, and the other half was whispering a little too loudly about treachery and missing-nin. Of course, rumors had been circulating about Hinata and Naruto for years, but that only made for more interesting (and dramatic) stories in many cases and Hinata wasn't sure she could deal with that just now.

Rising up for air, Hinata squeezed some of the water out of her hair and piled it on top of her head, twisting the ends together into a loose knot. She let her gaze wander across the calm waters of the bathing pool. From her seat, she could see the steam rising off the water like curling, wispy clouds.

It was peaceful here, unlike her insides. A forest of long-stemmed rushes lined the east side of the main pool, their tall, green stems waving slightly with every breeze. They screened bathers from the more rambunctious antics of those that chose to use the stream-shaped swimming pool on the other side. On the west, just beyond a stand of bamboo, there was a rock garden for meditation and long, comfortable benches of old, worn wood that seemed perfectly positioned to catch every ray of sun no matter how gloomy the day. Hinata loved to lounge on those benches during her rare free moments and read--even if it made her feel a little like a spoiled cat.

A smile tugged at Hinata's lips for the first time in what seemed to be days. She wasn't the only one. She had caught Neji-ni, Hanabi, and her own father there a few times as well, although she tactically kept up the façade that she hadn't seen any of them contentedly smiling as they lay back with their eyes closed against the warm light of a sunny day. After all, what happened in the Hyuuga compound, stayed in the Hyuuga compound.

Neji... perhaps it was time to ask him for advice. There was to be a family meeting in the evening, and Hinata wasn't sure she could face the questions that some of her nosier relatives were bound to ask without resolving some of her own inner conflicts.

Certainly, she couldn't turn to her father or Hanabi. Both of them had a strong bias when it came to Naruto, and would tell her to immediately seek out the blond and make reparations. Hanabi, in particular, was a Naruto-fan, ever since the blond haired ninja had gleefully agreed to eat her chocolate on Valentine's Day several years ago. Hinata doubted that Naruto even remembered, but it had meant the world to Hanabi, who's chocolates had been turned down by several other boys because (they said) she was "scary" and "creepy."

Hinata grimaced a bit. Children could be so thoughtlessly cruel. She remembered those remarks from her own childhood as well. It was the curse of the Hyuuga eyes. Albeit, she had only gotten "creepy." Unlike Hanabi, Hinata had never been strong or out-going enough to merit a "scary."

My mind keeps going off on tangents today. _I need to talk to Neji-ni before the family meeting tonight. Otherwise, I'm not going to be calm enough to conduct the tea ceremony properly..._

Hinata climbed out of the onsen quickly and grabbed a fluffy towel she had dropped earlier by the side of the pool. It felt good against her skin as she wrapped it around her body and she wanted to enjoy the moment, but she knew she shouldn't waste any more time.

With all the speed of a kunoichi, Hinata dried, dressed, and trotted out into the clean-swept alley in front of the Hyuuga bath house.

_It's about 3, so Neji-ni should be in his rooms studying those old jutsu scrolls he found_, Hinata mused. Her cousin was a genius, but a very predictable genius.

Minutes later, Hinata wove her way past the Branch Family's main house and walked toward her cousin's rooms. They were in the back wing of the house for easy access to the training grounds and the compound's walls, Neji had told her once. Letting the Hyuuga mask drop over her face, Hinata sedately called out her cousin's name... and stopped.

There was something odd about the chakra emanating from his rooms. With practiced precision, Hinata activated her Byakugan, and saw... Neji... and Ten-Ten...

Hinata dropped her Byakugan as she felt a blush burn its way down to her toes. Spinning on her heel, Hinata darted out of the Branch Family section as fast as she could. Now was probably not the best time to talk to her cousin. It would, she decided, however be an excellent time to go and practice those memory jutsus Ino had taught her. There were some things she just did NOT need in her brain.


	13. Ch13

Author's Note:

Occurs after side-story "Pink and Fluffy Pictures," and around the same time as Chapter 12.

Friends Forever

By LadyTofu

Chapter 13

"Hey, have you heard the rumors about him and Naruto? I never believed them but..."

"But, nothing! He's Uchiha Sasuke. THE Uchiha Sasuke!"

"Yeah, and that's definitely THE Uchiha Sasuke in drag."

Grinding his scarred knuckles into his eyes, Sasuke wished to all hell that the villagers would just shut-up. Many of them were strong ninja in their own right, but they might as well have been shouting their gossip from the rooftops for all the stealth they used to whisper about him as he walked by.

He had told her that that picture was NOT meant to be distributed, damn it!

Certainly, Sasuke had no idea where the copies were all coming from... or, he should say, kept coming from. Well, he had a vague idea, but nothing he could prove...

He had spent the entire night and most of the morning hunting down and thoroughly burning every last print he could find, yet they seemed to breed every time he stopped to catch his breathe.

Asuma and Kurenai, Sasuke had decided at some point around sunrise, were very, very, very dead.

Well... as soon as he got some sleep...

For now, he was going home and planned on snoring the afternoon away, for once. Just because he chose to train relentlessly everyday, didn't mean he had to. And, frankly, after an extended mission and then running around the village all night, Sasuke was dead tired. Genius could give way to sleep this once.

_ I just gave Kurenai ONE print. Kami-sama, I know that evil Tsunade-woman has something to do with this. _ Sasuke grimaced as he recalled the positively evil smile that had spread over Tsunade's lips as she told him how much she enjoyed seeing him in pink. _ I hope Hinata hasn't seen them. _

Now, that had Sasuke concerned. It was embarrassing, mortifying really, to have the village plastered with pictures of him in a fluffy dress and matching Mary-Jane's, but it would be infinitely worse to have Hinata see the village plastered with pictures of him in a fluffy dress and matching Mary-Jane's.

Of course, he could just ask Neji. The Hyuuga genius might have been obstinate and somewhat obtuse, but he was definitely observant. Plus, it was a little known fact, but Ten-Ten kept Neji's room stocked with the best snacks in the village. Sometimes, it paid to date the daughter of the town's lead grocer.

Sasuke glanced up at the sun to gauge the time. It was about 3 p.m. Neji would definitely be in his room, most likely with Ten-Ten. Unlike Neji's family, Sasuke knew the exact reason Neji had chosen rooms so close to the wall, and it had nothing to do with studying the nin-arts or access to the training grounds like most of the Hyuuga's seemed to think. _ Well, to give him credit, he's probably learning SOMETHING. _

No one was around, so Sasuke let a brief snicker escape his lips. There was no point in waiting either, Sasuke smirked to himself as he changed the direction of his feet toward the Hyuuga compound, they'd just get more wrapped up with each other if left to their own devices.

The world became a blur as Sasuke changed his walk into a sprint. He was at the wall by Neji's rooms in the blink of an eye, and quickly activated his Sharingan. There was only one spot on the wall where Neji had circumvented the Hyuuga security jutsus and it was bloody hard to find. But, he was Uchiha Sasuke, master of the Sharingan, and when it came to stuff like this, it rocked to be him.

"Neji." Sasuke stated, as he hopped over the Hyuuga compound wall. He didn't shout, but neither did he mask his chakra. That was all the warning a ninja of Neji's level should need.

Should, being the optimal word. After a few minutes of silence, Sasuke turned his Sharingan eyes to look toward the rice paper doors. He couldn't quite see through things like a Byakugan user, but the rice paper was thin enough and the red glow of two charka's strong enough for him to guess at what was STILL going on. "Keh, not that I'm not enjoying the show, but..." Sasuke stated loudly.

A kunai came flying at his head before he could finish his sentence, followed by several senbon, a couple more kunai, a razor-edged fan, and a surprisingly large number of shuriken. _ I wonder where she hides it all, particulary now. She's not really wearing much... _ Sasuke couldn't help thinking. _ Kunoichi. _

He jumped clear easily, of course, as he had more or less expected Ten-Ten's reaction. Neji's was just as predictable.

"Uchiha."

Sasuke dodged an oncoming fist as Neji slammed open the sliding rice paper doors and all but flew towards him. Sasuke let him throw a few more punches before dropping to the ground and cat-rolling to safety. He wasn't an Uchiha genius for nothing, and reading moves WAS his specialty.

"Neji, please put on some more clothes. I have serious matters to discuss."

Yes, sometimes it rocked to be him.

Neji, for his part, had the grace to blush and drew the loose robe he was wearing tightly closed. He stalked back into his room to put on more in the way of real clothing.

"Uchiha, this had better be good," he growled as he slammed the rice paper door shut behind him.

Sasuke looked around and chose to perch himself on a wooden stump halfway between the compound's wall and Neji's room. He could see smooth, battered places where small hands had battered at it. Everything, Sasuke mused, in a ninja village was battered by having been hit or practiced on by someone of some age.

"Sasuke-kun?" Sasuke looked up to see Ten-Ten approaching. He was surprised to see a fierce blush staining her cheeks. He had expected more in the way of murderous rage.

"..." Sasuke murmered with a little bow, "Tien-san, I didn't see anything."

Ten-Ten nodded, "Well, fine, but sneaking-up on people like that... Neji and I were, well... You shouldn't do that!"

"I did try to let you know I was coming," pointed out Sasuke, slyly adding, "but I guess you were otherwise occupied."

Sasuke managed to jump off the stump in time to dodge a rain of kunai.

"Why are you even here?" shouted Ten-Ten. "You're supposed to be on a mission or training or sleeping or dead!"

This time, it was Sasuke's turn to color. Not much, but enough for keen eyes to see.

"Oh, this is about Hinata, isn't it?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. He had expected Neji to be bit more discreet, even if it was

Ten-Ten.

"Relax, Sasuke-kun. The whole village is gossiping about you two, but no worries. I think it's cute that you like her." Ten-Ten giggled a little. "She deserves a good guy. So, here's what we're gonna do..."

Girls--Sasuke decided as he vaguely listened to Ten-Ten scheme on, his eyes widening with every new twist and turn she plotted—were very scary creatures. Neji needed to dress faster and save him.


	14. Ch14

Friends Forever

By LadyTofu

Chapter 14

With a slight smirk, Sakura ran her hands along the sides of her new dress, appreciating the way the smooth fabric hugged her toned body. She had been a bit skeptical when the sales girl had suggest something made of Lyrca. After all, Lycra was just a pretty word for spandex, and Lee wore spandex.

Enough said.

However, the softness of the material and the way the otherwise form-fitting dress swirled into loose, draping flounces just past her knees had won her over. That, and the dress was red with candy pink piping that matched her hair perfectly. How could anyone say no to that?

It was definitely cash well spent though, she thought as Inner Sakura gloried at the sight of another red geyser spurting in her general direction. If number of nose bleeds induced could measure sexiness, than she had scored a perfect ten in the three minutes since she had walked out of Ninja Clothes Unlimited. Sasuke would have to be gay, dead, or blind not to notice her now!

Let's see that little Miss-Who-Ever-She-Is compete with this! Inner Sakura cackled, her eyes flaming with thoughts of vengeance. She definitely owed that girl two beat downs. One for taking her Sasuke, and another for the scolding she had gotten from the Hokage after skipping out on a day of work to hunt her down.

If she ever found her...

Sakura sighed. Ino, her link to all village gossip, had been curiously quiet when it came to Sasuke's date. Sakura knew Ino knew something, but the girl had all but straight out refused to give her any information. Kakashi had been just as stubbornly uninformative, going off on random (and slightly pornographic) tangents until she finally punched him through a wall in frustration. Well, they were both better than Neji. He had just stared at her until she remember she had to...you know...go away.

Which, really, only left her one more alternative... The one that would probably make the least sense, and require the most bribing. Sakura ran quick, nervous fingers through her hair, and headed straight for a certain ramen stand.

She spotted her target right away, bent over a steaming bowl and shoveling noodles into his mouth like his life depended on it.

"Ah! Naruto! Funny seeing you here," said Sakura with a laugh that sounded brittle even to her ears. She slid into an empty seat next to him.

"Sakura," Naruto replied curtly between bites, not even bothering to look in her direction.

Sakura was taken aback. There was no friendly "Sakura-chan," no bright and bubbling "Ohayo," or even the habitual "Ano-sa!" Something was definitely wrong.

"Ah, Naruto? Are you okay?" Sakura asked, her own mission temporarily forgotten. She tilted her head to try and get a better view of his eyes, genuinely worried. His expression was drawn and, well, brooding. She could count the number of times she had seen a dark and gloomy Naruto on one hand, and still have enough fingers to kill off a small army. "You don't... you don't look... Are you okay?"

Naruto looked up at her sharply, a smile plastered onto his face. "Ne, Sakura-chan! I don't know what you're talking about! I feel fine! This ramen, I mean I love ramen, and it tasted so good that..."

His voice drifted into quiet as Sakura shot him a look that said it was a hundred years to early for him to try to lie to her. Sasuke might have been his eternal rival and best friend, but she was his family and no one knew him better.

Naruto looked away and stared back down at his ramen bowl, occasionally twirling his chopsticks in the remaining broth rather than slurping it down like usual.

Sakura let him have his quiet, and ordered a plate of dumplings, eating them slowly when they came. Naruto wasn't the type to hold things in until they hurt. At least, not anymore and never to her. Before... But, then the two of them had been through hell and back over the years and, when the whole village had derided them for their devotion to Sasuke, they had learned to be open with each other, at least, despite even Naruto's crush.

"It's..." started Naruto, finally breaking the silence. Sakura put down her last dumpling and watched him as he used his chopsticks to play with a piece of fishcake. "I'm just really confused. About Hinata. About me."

"Okay," said Sakura, nodding. She knew from past experience that when something was really bothering him, Naruto liked to take things at his own pace. Well, with some occasional prodding. "Hinata likes you, and you like Hinata. At least, that's where it seemed to be at the last time we talked about this. Unless something's changed?"

"..." Naruto moved on from playing with his fishcake to playing with stray bits of green onion. Sakura finished her dumpling.

Suddenly, Naruto jerked up his head like he'd been bitten. He turned to stare at Sakura wide-eyed.

"W-what?" Sakura asked him nervously. "Do I have something on my face?"

"You knew Hinata liked me?"

For a moment, Sakura felt like slapping him silly, but instead limited herself to a friendly and very un-painful punch. "Baka. Didn't I tell you that before?"

Naruto scratched his head, genuinely confused. "Yeah, but... Yeah. You did. Didn't you? Did you?"

"Naruto, I swear, you can be so..."

"Yeah, I guess I have gotten kinda stupid lately. In a lot of ways. Once an idiot, always an idiot, right? A hopeless, stupid, dead-last, idiot..."

This time, it was Sakura's turn to stare. Something was very, very wrong. "Hopeless? You think you're hopeless?"

Naruto smiled up at her softly, his eyes still sad, "Yeah. I guess I am."

Sakura pursed her lips. This was not the Naruto she knew. She shifted in her seat, using the opportunity to form a few seals beneath the counter. They only told her one thing: whatever was going on, it wasn't genjutsu.

Well, when in doubt, just ask! "You're not Naruto, are you?"

"S-Sakura-chan?" asked Naruto, sweating slightly. Sakura took note of his reaction as she scanned in and processed every detail about him with the watchful eyes of Konoha's number two healer. "What are you talking about?"

"Naruto would never say that anyone or anything is hopeless. Ever. He's the type of guy who would say as long as he's breathing, he's got time to try again, and no matter how many times he's got to try, he won't ever give-up because that's his ninja-way."

"Yeah. I did tell that Sasuke-bastard that, didn't I?" Sakura watched as Naruto got up, and fished around his pockets for money. "You remembered all that, huh?"

"All of what? What am I remembering Naruto?"

The blond ninja's face grew stoney as he looked at her, his eyes glowing just a little red. "You're serious?"

Sakura took note of the flash of Kyuubi chakra. Only Naruto would... but… She made a single, short nod. If he could answer this, she told herself, he was definitely the real Naruto.

Naruto sighed, and turned around. Sakura could see the tension written in the muscles of his back. "That day, when Sasuke and I fought. No, not the first fight by the waterfall, but the second one by Sound. After we took out Orochimaru. Sasuke-bastard still didn't want to come home. Teme, had to come home though cuz you two thought I was gonna die, right? Someone had to carry me back so the old lady could fix me, and it was only me and you and him. Happy?"

Whatever her reply was, Naruto didn't wait to hear it. Sakura grimaced as he disappeared with a flash of yellow light. Body flicker. He didn't use it often outside of battle, although it was one of the reasons he was famous (or infamous, really) throughout the shinobi world.

Well, apparently I'm as bad as enemy-nin, thought Sakura wryly. She mulled over every detail of their meeting in her mind, and then Naruto's behavior in general. Yes, he had been acting a bit odd lately, but she had chalked it up to the power of destined love.

Then, the destined power of love fails? Inner Sakura screamed in horror. Outer Sakura scrubbed at her face. And he hadn't even noticed her dress! She would have liked to pound Naruto into the ground, if she wasn't so sure that just this once, his idiocy might not be his fault.

Just before he left, she had seen it, on the back of his neck, peeping out from beneath the collar of his shirt. A strange curling mark that looked very much like a seal.


	15. Ch15

Friends Forever (FINAL CHAPTER)

... And they all died.

I'm kidding. Sorry for the lack of updates. Life gets in the way of writing, but I love Naruto-Hina-Sasuke-Sakura, so I thought I would give them all an ending before I got bogged down again... It's a little abbreviated because I'd meant to develop it much more slowly over a few chapters, not one, so apologies.

But, for those of you still reading this, I hope you enjoy it nonetheless!!! Real ending in 5-4-3-2-1...

* * *

Blond hair darkened to black before fading back again, blue eyes gave way to red. If he'd been moving slow enough for anyone to see, they would have gawked at the sight of two familiar faces fighting to exist in one body, chakra signatures in flux.

Sasuke sprinted into the forest and jumped into the branches of a thick elm tree. With a puff of smoke, he released the jutsu he'd been holding. It had never been so hard to hold the transformation before.

He'd thought... Sasuke sighed. Well, he hadn't really known what he was thinking, it was a stupid plan all around. Only, he'd wanted some answers and when Ten-Ten had gone into Alternate Plan F, Part 12.5, he'd figured that he might be better off trying his own direct approach. Recon was always a plus, but he hadn't expected Sakura to bring up THAT.

He felt the branch creak beneath him at the weight of another nin landing.

"Bastard! If Tsunade ever catches wind of you doing this, you realize you'll be out of the village again?"

Sasuke only nodded slightly, but winced inside. That was an understatement. He'd be dead.

"Or dead." Naruto added, tactlessly echoing Sasuke's thoughts.

Perfect copy, a complete transformation. They'd developed the technique for extreme emergencies: Tsunade, Naruto, Jiraiya, and him. A target to lead enemies off Naruto's scent if and when the future Hokage ever needed such protection. It was one of the greatest secrets they held, and one of the few reasons Tsunade had been willing to let Sasuke back into Konoha even after all the damage he had done.

"Dobe. Some things are worth it." Sasuke whispered without looking up. Only he could have accomplished the technique, and only for Naruto. He'd let Kisame use him as a cuddle toy before he'd admit it, but Naruto WAS his best friend, his brother.

And, he owed the stupid kitsune, even if he did want to tear out his throat right now.

If only he'd just gone through with Ten-Ten's idiotic plans instead of trying his own. If only Sakura hadn't brought up the past...

Naruto growled, "What makes me curious is, why you thought I wouldn't sense myself?"

Well, really he should have thought of that, Sasuke noted to himself, but he hadn't thought his chakra signature actually changed to Naruto's senses too.

"What makes you think I didn't want you to?" Sasuke replied in a low monotone.

"You even tapped Kyubi," Naruto continued, "Damn Sharingan. If you did this to get to Hinata..."

Sasuke cut him off with a glare. He hadn't meant to do that at all. He would have to bring this up with Tsunade, the perfect copy channels were not supposed to run that deep. At the same time, did Naruto really think so little of his feelings? "You think I'd need that kind of trick to win?"

"You still think you can?" Naruto shot back, his voice breaking slightly. "Even if you die?"

Do you really love her then? Sasuke heard the unasked question in Naruto's voice, making him wince again. With battle-trained senses, he took in the sight Naruto's stiff shoulders and slightly clenched fists. Naruto was gearing for a fight, like he always did, but for once he was really, truly scared.

It reminded him of a day in a valley long ago, a day when he'd made one of the worst mistakes in his life.

A gentle breeze played through Sasuke's hair as he contemplated his answer. Yes, he wanted to shout at the blond jounin crouched beside him. He wanted Hinata. He liked her. No, he loved her, and had for all the years that Naruto ignored her. All those years while Hinata had looked only at Naruto and loved only Naruto... Still loved Naruto, if he'd read Sakura right... But then, he supposed, old habits were hard to change.

"Baka." Sasuke sighed instead. He shook his head, causing his long bangs to sweep down across his eyes. But Sakura had said what he was afraid of. Now Naruto saw what he saw, liked the girl that he liked, and Sasuke owed him too much to repeat mistakes made long ago.

"I think," Sasuke paused. It was the right thing to do, but knowing that didn't make it hurt any less, "All the perfect copy nonsense we've been practicing infected me with your stupidity."

"Ano-sa, WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN? Sasuke bastard, I knew you wanted to fight." Naruto shouted, jumping to his feet.

"Shut up." Sasuke stated flatly. "Dobe, if you ever hurt Hinata, I'll kill you."

As he jumped down from the branch, the dumbfounded look on Naruto's face took the edge off the pain wrapping around his heart. Not a lot, but just enough. He didn't like it, but he knew he was doing the right thing.

Itachi, he thought, would have been proud.

* * *

Naruto stared.

Had what he thought had happened just happened? He wasn't entirely sure. He'd sensed himself, which made no sense, then he remembered Sasuke-bastard and the Sasuke-bastard-not-so-bastard-jutsu, and thought that Sasuke-bastard had wanted a fight, so he came ready to fight, but then Sasuke-bastard had gotten all serious, and then he'd thought Sasuke-bastard wanted a serious fight, which had made him nervous because Sasuke-bastard was tough but serious Sasuke-bastard was really very dangerous, but then Sasuke-bastard had...given up?

No, Naruto was definitely, completely confused. When had his life gotten so complicated?

"Ahh," he shouted, "I want to talk to Hinaaataaa!"

She'd been his sounding post for years, the one to listen to his complaints and soothe his worries. Now, even that was a big, muddled, tangled mess.

Except Sasuke-bastard had given up?

Naruto rubbed his eyes, shook his head, and blinked. So, that meant Hinata was...his?

He stared in the direction Sasuke had disappeared. For a minute, he'd thought Sasuke had been serious. Had it all been competition? Side effects of the perfect copy jutsu?

Naruto shook his head again and smiled. Well, he wasn't going to lose his chance twice. "Sasuke-bastard, looks like I owe you one."

* * *

(ONE MONTH LATER)

Hinata narrowed her vision. She saw the faint X etched into the tree.

Feeling chakra flow from her fingertips into the kunai, she threw held it balanced in the palm of her hand for a split second before swinging her arm around to let it fly. The kunai sped through leaves and branches, swerving around a bush in an impossible arc, before hitting its mark with a resounding thud.

"Whew. 600 feet! Not bad!"

Hinata whirled around to see Naruto lazily leaning against a training post. He was in his trademark orange, but the faint tang of blood in the air told her he'd just returned from a mission and come to see her straightaway. Again.

"Did you at least remember to report to Hokage-san, Naruto-san?" She asked, slightly annoyed. The last time, he hadn't and Tsunade-sama had somehow decided to blame her for the oversight too.

"Ano-sa... umm..." Naruto laughed and scratched his head, squinting his eyes happily. "Well, I will as soon as Hinata-chan goes out with me!"

Hinata sighed.

* * *

"Ano-sa, so she turned me down, again!" Naruto wailed.

Sasuke lowered his head to sip at his bowl of ramen. Sakura noticed a touch of a smirk pulling at his beautiful lips. Yes, she thought, he'd have no problems getting any girl. Plus, she'd heard he'd dumped the mystery maiden and was as single as single could be.

Inner Sakura cackled with glee.

"Naruto, give the girl some time! First you don't like her, and then you do like her, she's got to be confused." Outer Sakura murmured soothingly to Naruto. Inner Sakura laughed. It kind of served him right, although she knew that Hinata still carried a flame for the brat. He'd get her to out with him, eventually.

It was strange, she thought for a moment, but the three of them had grown so far apart for so many years, yet here they were back again.

"But, I've asked her out 72 times in the last ten days!!" Naruto continued to wail.

"Dobe," muttered Sasuke, still munching on his ramen.

"What, you wanna fight Sasuke-bastard? Like you have some awesome ladies-man techniques?"

Sasuke snorted, "Yeah. Ask her out less, and do it better."

"Ano-sa! Ha! Like such a half-assed technique would work! Teme..."

Her beautiful night, Sakura decided, was getting entirely too noisy. With a flick of her wrist, Sakura flipped Naruto through the wall. "Naruto! You're ruining my dinner!"

Yes, she thought, it was funny how life worked. But, in the end she was glad they were her friends.

OWARI.


End file.
